


Mess With My Boyfriend Will You?

by Elthadriel



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Bullying, Fluff, M/M, protective Bull
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-11
Updated: 2015-06-11
Packaged: 2018-04-03 21:07:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4114975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elthadriel/pseuds/Elthadriel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>People have been giving Dorian a hard time and Bull is not going to let that pass without comment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mess With My Boyfriend Will You?

**Author's Note:**

> This is a short fic I wrote for diamondunicorn08 over on tumblr because they helped me find a fic I was looking for. They asked for prtective and defensive Bull with something where someone is putting Dorian down, or being a creeper to Dorian, or spreading rumors about Dorian. Something mundane Dorian is used to having to tolerate, only now he’s with Bull and Bull is less inclined to tolerating badmouthing of someone he considers one of his own.
> 
> I hope you like it.

Bull denied it whenever Dorian accused him of it, and Dorian did accuse him fairly regularly, but Bull did take a certain enjoyment in sneaking up on Dorian. Nothing as dramatic as waiting in doorways to jump out on him, but when the chance arose to approach quietly and stand just a little too close to Dorian before announcing himself, Bull wasn’t going to turn down the opportunity. 

It was why he got close enough to Dorian in the library without Dorian stopping what he was doing. 

Dorian was muttering and cursing under breath as he carefully tried to move something into a bag while touching it as little as possible.

“Is that a dead bird?” Bull asked, leaning over Dorian just as he managed to get the poor creature into the bag.

Dorian did jump, but it wasn’t as satisfying as normal as there was a hint of weariness beyond the usual startled expression. 

“Ah, Bull.” Dorian glanced at Bull and then back at the bag. “Yes, I believe it is.”

“How did it get up here? Cat been bringing you gifts?” Bull asked. It certainly wasn’t one of Leliana’s crows and Bull couldn’t think of any other reason for the poor creature to be up in the library. 

“I do believe it was one of the solders,” Dorian said, looking vaguely uncomfortable. He tied a knot in the top of the bag and placed it gingerly on the table.

“The soldiers have been hiding dead animals amongst your things?” Bull was too shocked to even make attempt to hide his horror, not that he would have; Dorian deserved to know how awful Bull thought this was. “Often enough for you to know it’s them?”

“Don’t overreact,” Dorian insisted. “It’s not normally anything like this.”

“What’s it normally like?”

Dorian sighed.

“They just enjoy messing with the evil Tevinter,” Dorian said, putting on an overly dramatic voice for the end of the sentence and giving a wave of his hands. “Sometimes it’s rotten eggs hidden here, or in my room if they can convince one of maids to help them, or moving my things; nothing serious. This is the first time there’s been an animal. I imagine someone was given a drunken dare that got a little out of hand.”

Bull was stunned into silence for a moment. How had he missed that people were bothering Dorian? He was aware there was still some mistrust aimed at Dorian from the general population of Skyhold but not outright hostility. He had been distracted by how Dorian was growing on the Chargers, and Dorian, it seemed, wasn’t exactly telling anyone that people were hassling him. What worried him the most was how indifferent to it all Dorian seemed.

“I’ll make sure it stops,” Bull growled.

For a split second Dorian looked scared before he skilfully hid it and gave a dismissive gesture. “Don’t concern yourself; it’s not worth thinking about. I’ve received similar treatment in Tevinter during some of my more unpopular years; I’m used to it.”

“That’s not all that comforting, Dorian,” Bull said darkly.

Dorian shrugged. “Just leave it alone, Bull.”

\---

It was surprising easy to find out who had been bothering Dorian. He was friendly, not only by nature, but also as a matter of the job he did; people would tell their friends all sorts of things. A few casual questions to the right people and he had a description of the worst of the things that were done to Dorian and who was involved. 

He felt bad about going against Dorian’s wishes, he hated going behind Dorian’s back, but someone needed to stand up for Dorian if he was unwilling to do it himself; Dorian deserved better than being shit on by a bunch of prejudice assholes.

Bull kept an eye out for the soldiers in question and the next time they were drinking as a group Bull carefully excused himself from the chargers and went up to the library to wait. For a man his size he was rather good at remaining unnoticed when he wished and he settled himself in a shadowy part of the library and waited.

He didn’t have to wait all that long.

The soldiers came up the stairs, clearly far drunker than the time of evening justified. They were laughing loudly, and shoving each other, making a beeline for Dorian’s alcove.

One of them said something as they reached Dorian’s space but Bull didn’t catch it. It had the other’s laughing, a cruel note entering the noise.

One of the men dropped into Dorian’s chair, gathering up the book sitting on the arm rest and flicking it open to Dorian’s bookmark. One of his friends handed him a quill and held a bottle of ink out for him.

Before the pen could touch the paper, to do what Bull felt he was better off not knowing, he left the shadows and made himself known.

“I don’t think Dorian would want you touching that.” Bull stepped forward, towering over them and backing them into Dorian’s alcove. He put careful effort into making his intimidation look accidental though, and forced himself to keep his face calm and curious rather than betraying the murderous feelings he was currently struggling with. 

“Who cares what the ‘Vint wants?” The man holding the quill asked and laughed. The one in the chair and a number of the others had started to look nervous however. “Don’t know why the Inquisitor even let one of his kind stay here. This is the least of what he deserves. Got any ideas what we should write. Being a Qunari and all I bet you have all sorts of names for-”

His friend nudged him sharply to shut him up. “Don’t, the Bull’s been fucking him remember,” she hissed, eyes darting around looking for an escape route.

“I just think,” Bull started slowly, “that considering the good work Dorian has done for the Inquisition and what he’s sacrificed for us he deserves a little bit of basic respect.” He still sounded calm but the soldiers were looking increasingly nervous. 

“Respect!” One of the soldier snapped with a sneer. “I’m not in the habit of giving respect to slavers or blood mages.”

Bull took half a step forward.

“Then I suggest you bring your concerns up with the Inquisitor, I could mention it to them if you’d like?” The last of the fight left them and Bull continued deepening his voice. “No? Good, because if this happens again I will know where to find you all and I really doubt you would like how that would end.”

“We’ll leave him alone,” one of them muttered, trying to appear as small as possible

“Good,” Bull said, brightening his voice artificially.

“Can we go?” Another asked.

“Of course.” Bull took only the smallest step to the side forcing them to shuffle past him, almost touching him. None of them looked up at him and all of them were visibly terrified. Bull stood and watched them until they were out of sit before he turned and carefully rearranged everything the soldiers had moved to return them to how Dorian would have left them. 

He went down the stairs, planning to go back to his room so he was there when Dorian would undoubtedly show up later. Bull passed Solas on the way out who caught his eye and nodded approvingly. 

\---

“You shouldn’t have done that.” Dorian appeared in Bull’s doorway later that night, crossing his arms across his chest and glaring down at were Bull sat on his bed.

“Oh?”

“Don’t be cute,” Dorian said trying and failing to snap.

“You think I’m cute do you?” Bull grinned, batting his one eye in a ridiculous fashion.

Dorian rolled his eyes so hard Bull was almost worried for him.

“I’m serious Bull, I told you not to bother.”

“How’d you find out?” Bull asked, already guessing at the answer. Damned elf.

“Solas told me,” Dorian replied. “He said I was lucky to have you.”

Bull sighed. “Look, Dorian, I know what you said but I’m not going-”

“I’m glad you did,” Dorian interrupted. “It was completely unnecessary, but thank you.” 

“Come ‘ere.” Bull held out a hand to Dorian.

Dorian smiled and closed the gap between them, taking Bull’s much larger hand in his own.

“You don’t deserve what they were doing to you,” Bull said firmly, using Dorian’s hand to haul him forward onto Bull’s lap. He placed a unusually tender kiss to Dorian’s lips. “And I’ll scare the shit out of anyone else who tries.”

Dorian snorted gracelessly. “You aren’t exactly the heroic knights from the stories, but I suppose you’ll do.”

“Does that make you the princess?” Bull asked, grinning.

Dorian glared at Bull with an expression that was half outrage, half exasperation, and entirely fond.


End file.
